Medicare 2026

How to Switch Medicare Plans During Open Enrollment 2027, Step by Step

Each fall, Medicare gives you a window to look at your coverage and change it if something better fits. For plans that take effect January 1, 2027, that window — called Medicare Annual Enrollment, or Open Enrollment — runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. Whether you want to move between Medicare Advantage plans, switch your stand-alone Part D drug plan, or leave Medicare Advantage for Original Medicare, the steps below walk through how to do it without surprises.

Step 1: Know what you have now

Before you shop, write down what you're enrolled in today. Are you in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B)? Do you have a stand-alone Part D drug plan? A Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy? Or are you in a Medicare Advantage plan, with or without drug coverage built in? Your starting point shapes your options.

Also look at the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) your current plan mails each fall. It explains how premiums, copays, drug coverage, and provider networks will change in 2027. Many people switch simply because their current plan is changing in ways that no longer fit.

Step 2: Gather your personal list

Make three short lists:

• Your doctors and other providers you want to keep.
• Your prescriptions, with doses and how often you take them.
• Features that matter to you — for example, predictable costs, specific extra benefits, or the freedom to see any provider that accepts Medicare.

These lists make the Plan Finder search much more accurate.

Step 3: Understand what Open Enrollment lets you do

During October 15 – December 7, 2026, you can:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan.
• Switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare.
• Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
• Join, drop, or change a stand-alone Part D drug plan.

A couple of important mechanics:

• Joining a new Medicare Advantage plan automatically ends your old Medicare Advantage plan. Joining a new stand-alone Part D plan automatically ends your old Part D plan. You don't need to call the old plan to cancel.
• If you change your mind, go ahead and enroll again. The last choice you make by December 7 is the one that takes effect January 1, 2027.
• If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage and you enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan, that generally ends your Medicare Advantage plan and returns you to Original Medicare. If you didn't intend to leave Medicare Advantage, this can be a costly surprise.

Step 4: Weigh Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare + Medigap neutrally

There isn't a universally "better" path — each has trade-offs.

Medicare Advantage plans bundle hospital, medical, and often drug coverage, usually with a provider network and plan rules like referrals or prior authorization. Many include extra benefits. Costs and benefits vary plan by plan and area by area.

Original Medicare lets you see any provider nationwide that accepts Medicare, without network restrictions. Many people pair it with a stand-alone Part D plan and a Medigap policy to help with out-of-pocket costs. Keep in mind: outside a guaranteed-issue right, insurers can use medical underwriting on Medigap, which can affect price or acceptance. If you're thinking about moving from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare, look into Medigap options before you switch.

Step 5: Compare drug coverage carefully

For 2027, program-wide Part D rules include an annual out-of-pocket cap of $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026) and a maximum allowed plan deductible of $700. The Part D base beneficiary premium — a national figure used to calculate the late-enrollment penalty — is $41.33 for 2027; actual plan premiums are set by each plan.

When comparing drug coverage, look at the full picture: premium, deductible, your specific drugs on the formulary, the tier they're on, and preferred pharmacies.

Step 6: Shop and enroll

You have three main ways to compare and enroll in plans available where you live:

• Medicare.gov's Plan Finder, which lets you enter your drugs and pharmacies for personalized cost estimates.
• Enrolling directly through the plan.
• Calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24/7.

Keep a confirmation number for any enrollment.

Step 7: A note for people with Medicaid or Extra Help

If you have Medicaid or qualify for the Extra Help program for Part D, you have more flexibility than other beneficiaries. Since 2025, there is a monthly Special Enrollment Period that lets you move to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan, or switch from one stand-alone Part D plan to another, once per month. If you're a full-benefit dual-eligible, you can join an integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) in any month. You don't have to wait for Open Enrollment to make these changes.

Step 8: Watch the calendar and what's still to come

A few things to keep on your radar:

• The Social Security Administration announced a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment for benefits payable beginning January 2027.
• The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the IRMAA income brackets and surcharges, had not been announced at the time this was written. CMS typically releases those figures in the fall, usually November. Check Medicare.gov for current numbers before you finalize decisions.

Where can you get help with Medicare questions?

For official plan comparisons, enrollment, and the latest program figures, go to Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Taking an hour to review your options during Open Enrollment can keep your coverage working for you all year.